Folding or laying machine



1 4 c. M. BAKER EI'AL 2,301,006

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Patented Nov. 3 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,301,006 FOLDING OR LAYING MACHINE Charles Martin Baker and Archibald Alfred Moore, Leicester, England, assignors to 'William Baker (Leicester) Limited, Leicester; England Application July'3, 1940, Serial No. 343,894 In Great Britain July 5, 1939 12 Claims.

This invention is for an improvedmachine for folding or laying a webof fabric or like foldable sheet material into a zig-zag pile. It is particularly concerned with a machine for laying fabric into a zig-zag pile ready to be cut to suitable shapes in the manufacture of garments.

The invention relates to a machine for folding or laying a web of fabric or like sheet material, drawn from a supply thereof, into a zig-zag pile, comprising a reciprocatable table onto which the fabric is fed, whereby the reciprocation of the table causes the fabric to pile thereon in zig-zag form. Since the table is reciprocated it will be readily appreciated that it is most convenient that the linear speed of travel thereof shall'vary during the stroke (forexample, from nothing at the ends of the stroke to a maximum at the middle of the stroke), but although the table 'reoiprocates, that is to say reverses its direction of motion repeatedly, the direction of feed of the fabric must be constant. Therefore special precautions must be taken to ensure that the fabric is laid evenly on the table, without wrinkles near each end of the pile, and with successive layers of the pile of even length. With this object in view the invention provides a machine for folding or laying a web of fabric or like sheet'material, drawn from a supply thereof, into a zigzag pile, comprising a reciprocatable fabric-receiving table, driving means for reciprocating it with a variation in linear speed during the stroke, and means for feeding the fabric to the table, whereby the reciprocation of the latter causes the fabric to pile thereon in zig-zag form, characterised in that the feeding means for feeding the fabric to the table is such as to varyithe linear rate of fabric feed as the rate of travel of the table varies during the stroke. More specifically the fabric feeding means is driven from a driving member which is connected to the table and has a corresponding reversing and fluctuating motion. According to an important subsidiary feature of this invention the fabric feeding means comprises at least one fabric-engaging feed roller or its equivalent (feeding devices which are the equivalent of feed rollers being well known and including feed wheels and travelling conveyor bands), and a drive for said roller or the like incorporating two oppositely-arranged free wheels through which the drive is imparted alternately according to the direction of movement of the table, whereby said roller or the like is given a uni-directional feed movement.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawingsin which Figures 1 and 1A together constitute a side elevation of a machine according to this invention;

Figures 2 and 2A together constitute a sectional elevation of a part thereof on a larger scale;

Figures 3 and 3A together constitute aside elevation of apart thereof on said larger scale and being partly in section; while Figure 4 is a detail in diagrammatic form, of the drive for the feed rollers of the machine.

The machine illustrated is intendedautomatically to lay fabric F taken from a roll or other supply 10 thereof into a zig-zag pile, the beginnings of which pile are shown inFigure 3. In the production of garments from fabric in the piece, such for example as knitted fabric, it is common to lay the piece goods to and fro to form a pile thereof, containing an appropriate number of layers, and then to cut the layers of fabric simultaneously to the desired pattern shape by suitable cutting means. The machine according to this invention is particularly intended for thistype of work. The said machine incorporates a reciprocatable work table II on to which the fabric F is fed, so that at eachstroke of this table a layer of fabric is laid thereon. Thesaid table I l is supported by rollers l2 or the like on the frame of the machine and is reciprocated by any convenient mechanism incorporating a unidirectionally rotatable driver. In the illustrated arrangement said table II is provided at its underside with a toothed rack l3 engaged by ,a driving gear M, which gear I l is oscillated by means of pinion l5 and a quadrant It. Thelat- .ter is itself oscillated. by a connecting rod I1, and

a crank I8 on a crank disc IS. The throw of the crank I8 is adjustable bymeans of a lead screw 20, so that the stroke of the table H may be varied at will according to the length required for the layers of fabric. The said crank disc [9 is provided with multiplying indicating mechas n-ism 2! giving an indication of the length of in timed relation with said rollers 22a, 22b by chains or other driving means 25, 26.

Since the drive for the feed rollers is derived from the pinion l4, it must embody means for converting a reversing motion into uni-directional motion. It is therefore transmitted by free wheels, one free wheel serving to transmit the drive to one roller 22a during one stroke of the table and the other free wheel serving to transmit the drive to the other roller 221) during the reverse stroke of the table. The oscillating pinion I4 drives a small gear 21 on an oscillating feed shaft 23. This feed shaft carries at one end two chain sprockets 29a, 2919, which are loose- 1y mounted on the said shaft but arranged to be driven by the latter through lost-motion devices hereinafter described. The sprocket 29a drives the feed roller 22a through a chain 38a and a sprocket cm, which incorporates a free wheel of the kind used on bicycles. The sprocket 2% drives the other feed roller 22b through a chain 3% and a sprocket 31b, which also incorporates a free wheel, but this free wheel is oppositely disposed to the first free wheel. It will therefore be appreciated that in one direction of oscillation one of the rollers is driven through one free wheel, the other free wheel idling, and in the other direction of oscillation the other roller is driven through said other free wheel, the firstmentioned free wheel idling. Since the two rollers 22a and 22b are geared together, as is best shown in [Figure 4, this driving mechanism results in a uni-directional drive for said rollers and the linear rate of feed varies with the rate of travel of the table I I.

It is found, however, that the best results are obtained if there is a small interruption in the fabric feed at the end of each stroke of the table. For this purpose a lost motion device is incorporated in the drive for the fabric feeding mechanism. At the end of the shaft 28, between the two sprockets 29a, 291) there is secured a hub 32. This hub carries two driving pins 33a, 331) which pins are diametrically opposed and extend through slots such as 34a and 34b in the centre portion of each sprocket. Therefore, assuming that the hub is rotating in the anticlockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, the pins 33a, 33b lie at one end of their slots and the drive is transmitted through sprocket 29a and one free wheel to roller 22a. When the direction of motion of the hub 32 reverses, the pins 313a and 3311 have to traverse the length of said slots 34a and 34?) before the drive is transmitted by way of sprocket 29b and the other free wheel to the other roller 22b.

The free wheels may be placed in the sprockets 29a, 29b.

The fabric, after passing through the rollers 22a and 22b, continues vertically downwards through guides 35a, 352). These guides are located just above the top surface of the pile of fabric being produced and are capable of being raised upon vertical support rods 36a, 36b by cords 3'! and shaft 38 which may be rotated by hand.

The feed rollers 22a, 221) are urged together by compression springs such as 39, and the compression of said springs is regulated by hand wheels 40. The two hand wheels are connec ed by a chain 41 passing over suitable sprockets and one lap of this chain carries a pointer 42 co-operating with a scale 43, so that an indication of the pressure between the feed rollers is given.

In order to smooth down the fabric, smoothing devices are provided spaced apart at opposite sides of the fabric being fed to the table ll. Thus at one side of the fabric there is a roller 44a carried by arms 45a pivoted in the machine frame at 46a, while at the other side of the fabric being fed there is an oppositely disposed roller 44b carried by arms 45b pivoted in the machine frame at 461). These rollers are arranged to be raised and lowered alternately by cords 41a and 47b extending over suitable pulleys to a crank pin '48 carried at one end of the crank shaft M] on which the crank disc i9 is mounted. The arrangement is such that while the table moves in one direction one of these smoothing rollers is held raised in an inoperative position, and while the table moves in the other direction said roller is lowered to the operative position but the other roller is held raised. Conveniently, during travel to the left, as seen in Figure 1, the roller 44b is operative, and the roller 44a inoperative, and during travel to the right the roller 44a is operative and the roller Mb inoperative.

In the drawings the machine is illustrated as dealing with flattened tubular fabric, such for example as knitted tubular fabric (although obviously single thickness fabric may be folded by its agency). Therefore, within the flattened fabric tube descending to the feed table H, a spreader 50 of known construction is located above the feed rollers 22a, 22b.

The crank shaft 49 from which the drive for the feeding mechanism and for the reciprocating table II is derived, is driven in any suitable manner. In th illustrated construction it is driven by belts and shafting from an electric motor 51. This drive for the crank shaft includes a clutch, the handle of which is indicated at 52. and a belt shifter the handle of which is shown at 53. In addition, there is a crank handle 5 1 by means of which the table may be moved by hand. This handle 54 is provided with a doe clutch which in known manner is normally held disengaged by means of a suitable spring.

We claim:

1. A machine for folding or laying a web of fabric or like sheet material drawn from a supply thereof into a zig-zag pile, comprising a reciprocatable web-receiving table; means for reciprocating said table including a rotatable member connected thereto and having a reversing and fluctuating motion whereby to drive the table with a corresponding variation in its linear speed during the stroke; means for feeding the web to the table whereby to pile it thereon in Zig-z-ag form; and a driving connection between said rotatable member and said feeding means whereby the latter will feed the web to the table with a variation in the linear rate of feed corresponding to the variation in the speed of travel of the table.

2. In a machine for folding or laying sheet material, taken from a supply thereof, into a zig-zag pile and comprising a reciprocatable receiving table, and means for reciprocating it, the combination of a rotary member connected to said table reciprocating means to have. a reversing and fluctuating rotary motion corresponding to the reciprocating motion of the table, at least one feeder having a material-engaging surface for uni-directional material-feeding motion, and two alternative drives for driving said surface from said member, one during motion of the latter in one direction and the other during motion in the reverse direction, each of which drives includes a free-wheel device and which freewheel devices are oppositely arranged.

3. In a machine for folding or laying sheet material, taken from a supply thereof, into a zig-zag pile and comprising a reciprocatable receiving table, and means for reciprocating it, the combination of a rotary member connected to said table reciprocating means to have a reversing and fluctuating rotary motion corresponding to the reciprocating motion of the table, two oppositely-arranged free-wheel devices driven thereby, one to transmit a drive during motion thereof inone direction and the other to transmit a drive during motion thereof in the reverse direction, a pair of oppositely-rotatable feed rollers for engaging the material atopposite sides to feed it to the reciprocating table, and a driving connection from one said device to one roller and from the other said device to the other roller.

4. In a machine for folding or laying a web of sheet material taken from a supply thereof into a zig-zag pile on a table, and having a material-receiving reciprocatable table and means for reciprocating it to effect the zig-zag accumulation of the material thereon, the combination of means for feeding the material to the table at a linear rate of feed that at all points in the stroke bears a close relation to the speed of travel of the table, and means for varying the amplitude of travel of the table and the length of material fed to the table at each stroke.

5. In a machinefor folding or laying a web of fabric or like sheet material drawn from a supply thereof into a zig-zag pile, a reciprocatable web-receiving table; means for reciprocating said table with a variation in its linear speed during thestroke; means for feeding the web downwardly to the table with a variation in its linear rate of feed corresponding to the variation in thespeed of travel of the table whereby to pile the web upon the table in zig-zag form; and a guiding device for the web vertically adjustably mounted intermediate said feeding means and table, whereby it may always be located closely adjacent the top of the growing web pile.

6. In a machine for folding or laying a web of sheet material into a zig-zag pile on a table, the combination of a table, means for movin it repeatedly to and fro with an evenly waxing and waning motion in each stroke, means for feeding the material, with a like evenly waxing and waning rate of feed, downwards onto the table to accumulate in a zig-zag pile thereon, a guide for guiding the downwardly flowing material just above the surface of the being-formed pile, said guide being independent of and vertically adjustable relative to both the feeding means and table, and means for vertically adjusting said guide in accordance with the thickness of the fabric pile.

7. In a machine for folding or laying a web of sheet material into a zig-zag pile on a table, the combination of a table, guide means on which it is reciprocatably mounted, a uni-directionally rotatable driver for the table, means connectin said driver and table to reciprocate the latter with an evenly waxing and waning motion in each stroke, rotatable driving means connected to the table reciprocating means, to rotate first in one direction and then in the other as the table reciprocates, with a waxing and wanin motion corresponding to that of the table, two co-operating feed rolls above the table, means gearin them together to rotate in opp dlrectlons and to feed the sheet material between them to the table, adriving connection fromthe rotatable driving means to each feed roll, oppositely arranged free wheel devices, one in each connection last mentioned, and upwardly-adjustable sheet guiding means betweenthe table and rolls.

8. "In a machine for folding or laying a web of sheet material into a zig-zag pile on a table, the combination of a tabla-guide means on which it is reciproc'atably mounted, a uni-directionally rotatable driver for the table, means connecting said driver and table to reciprocate the latter with an evenly waxing and waning motion in each stroke, rotatable driving means connected to the table reciprocating means, to rotate first in one direction and then in the other as the table reciprocates, with a waxing and waning motion corresponding to that of the table, two co-operating feed rolls above the table, means gearing them together to rotate in opposite directions and to feed the sheet material between them to the table, and driving connections from the rotatable driving means to the feed rolls for driving them in a feeding direction during each stroke of the table, which connections include a lost motion arrangement for affording a small interruption in the drive to the rolls at each reversal of the table, and two oppositely arranged free wheel devices, one for driving the rolls during movement of the table in one direction and the other for driving them during movement of the table in the reverse direction.

9. In a machine for folding or laying a web of sheet material into a zig-zag pile on a reciprocatable table, the combination of a reciprocatable table, guides on which it is reciprocatable,

a uni-directionally rotatable driver, means for reciprocating the table from the driver with a waxing and waning motion in each stroke, two co-operating feed rolls above the table for feeding the material downward between them to the table, rotatable roll-driving means adjacent to the table and at a lower level than the feed rolls, connections for connecting said roll-driving means to the table reciprocating means to rotate first in one direction and then in the other, as the table reciprocates, with a waxing and waning motion corresponding to that of the table, and drive-transmitting connections extending upwards from the roll-driving means to the feed rolls to drive the latter in a sheet feeding direction, which connections include two oppositely arranged free wheel devices one for transmitting the drive during rotation of the roll-driving means in one direction and the other for transmitting the drive during rotation of said means in the reverse direction.

10. In amachine for folding or laying a web of fabric into a zig-zag pile, having a frame, a Web-receiving table mounted for reciprocating movements therein, means for reciprocating said table, and means for continuously feeding the web to the table, the combination of a pair of web-smoothing members disposed one to either side of the point of fabric feed to the table, said members being mounted by the frame for movement to and from the table; and connections between said smoothing members and said tablereciprocating means for controlling said members, whereby one member is alternately moved toward and from the table while the other mem her is simultaneously moved from and toward the table, in timed relation to the movements of the table.

11. In a machine for folding or laying a web of fabric into a zig-zag pile, having a frame, a

web-receiving table mounted thereon for reciprocating movements, means for reciprocating said table, and means for continuously feeding the web to the table, the combination of a pair of web-smoothing members, disposed one to either side of the point of fabric feed to the table, said members being mounted by the frame for movement to and from a position in which they engage the upper surface of the fabric pile as it is moved beneath them by the table; and means controlled by said table-reciprocating means for causing said members to alternately engage the fabric pile in timed relation to the table movements.

'12. In a machine for folding or laying a web of fabric into a zig-zag pile, having a frame, a web-receiving table mounted thereon for reciprocating movements, means including a uni-directionally moving driver for reciprocating said table, and means for continuously feeding the web to the table, the combination of a pair of Web-smoothing rollers, disposed one to either side of the point of fabric feed to the table, said r011- ers being mounted by the frame for movement to and from a position in which they rest upon the surface of the fabric pile as it is moved beneath them by the table; and connections between each of said rollers and said uni-directional driver of the table-reciprocating means for causing said rollers to alternately engage the fabric pile in timed relation to the table movements.

CHARLES MARTIN BAKER. ARCHIBALD ALFRED MOORE. 

